ASTON Villa continued to pile up the points with a 4-0 win at Blackburn Rovers

THE Gestapo, the official secret police force of Nazi Germany, had been established for three days when Villa last won so handsomely at Ewood Park.

But there is no secret as to why Villa are fizzing again some 74 years later.

And Martin O'Neill can expect another bottle of bubbly for his masterminding Villa's perfect November which has catapulted them into the top six.

It was late April 1933 when George Brown got four of his 33 league goals at Blackburn in a 5-0 win in a season where Villa finished runners-up to Arsenal.

You'd be a brave man to predict Villa getting anywhere near that feat this season, and top seven will remain the target for now.

But, at the same time, you cannot fail to see a much-improved side playing with a degree of panache and confidence.

And crucially luck. Just like at Middlesbrough, Villa were comfortably second best for half-an-hour or more and got a slide-rule decision which denied Benni McCarthy what looked a legitimate goal.

Villa can usually only rattle up such victories at Boro and this proved to be their biggest win away since February 2006.

And this on a ground that used to bring so much misery to Villa in the days when Chris Sutton and Alan Shearer were in their pomp.

Rovers' 5-0 win in January 1998 now seems a distant memory. That was the day when Kevin Gallacher scored a hat-trick but the headlines were hogged by a certain Savo Milosevic spitting at his own supporters.

These days Villa just love Ewood Park as one defeat in six visits testifies.

Not since John Gregory's pre- FA Cup Final side saw off Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds and Tottenham in April 2000 have they enjoyed such momentum in the Premier League.

Now it reads one defeat in 11 on their travels since February. And not only are they resilient at the back, O'Neill knows his side are also brimming with goal potential.

They have now scored 20 goals in nine games following their miserable one-goal defeat at the City of Manchester Stadium in September, the last time they hit a blank.

Buoyed by their away wins at Blues and Boro, Villa started like they meant business forcing a number of early corners.

But it was former Blues midfielder David Dunn who came closest to opening the scoring, forcing Scott Carson into a decent save with a rasping shot from fully 30 yards that was too hot to hold at the first attempt.

That signalled something of a Rovers onslaught.

Ryan Nelsen sent a well-struck half-volley on target with his left foot that brought a second good save from Carson.

Then the recalled Roque Santa Cruz latched on to a ball down the right, took one touch into the Villa box only to blaze over the crossbar.

Blackburn came closer still when David Bentley bent a superb 25-yard free kick towards the top corner that needed a third fine two-handed save from Carson to push the ball over the crossbar.

"One Dion Dublin" came the chant from the 1,900 Villa fans behind the goal as Robbie Savage warmed up in front of them.

Memories of his face-to-face confrontation with the now Norwich City striker at Villa Park in 2003 were still burning bright.

Villa were saved by a very marginal off-side flag as McCarthy finally beat Carson from inside the area with a well-placed shot.

Then, with their first attack in the 29th minute, Villa took the lead.

Dunn was penalised for a foul on Ashley Young on the left edge of the area, Young floated over a delicious cross and with Brad Friedel in no-man's land on his six-yard line and John Carew planted a glancing header into an unguarded net.

Carew had a chance to double his tally seven minutes later at a time when Villa were playing with a real zest.

Stiliyan Petrov, on a fine night for him, displayed a couple of magical flicks which took him away from left-back Stephen Warnock.

His low centre was not the best but broke kindly for a surprised Carew, who snatched at his shot and Friedel was able to gather.

Villa were a completely changed team as half-time approached and could easily have been 2-0 up when Carew leapt to flick on a long through-ball down the middle which sent Gabby Agbonlahor clean through the middle.

But with just Friedel to beat inside the penalty area the big American keeper stood tall and batted away his shot.

There was a scare in injury-time when full-back Andre Ooijer broke away from Young and fed the ball to Bentley in front of goal, but his long-range shot was deflected wide by Zat Knight.

Villa had options on the bench even with Luke Moore and Shaun Maloney dropped from the 16.

They had been replaced by Marlon Harewood and Patrik Berger – the orchestrator of Villa's win here eight months ago.

Manager Martin O'Neill would have had his heart in his mouth three minutes after the re-start when McCarthy let fly with a ferocious goalbound drive that smacked against Wilfred Bouma's head.

Incredibly, though, not only did Villa increase their lead a minute later but Rovers were reduced to 10 men when Carew's flick presented Agbonlahor with a shooting chance but, under the slightest of pulls from Ryan Nelsen, he crumpled into a heap on the six-yard box.

Staffordshire referee Phil Dowd was in little doubt and sent off Nelsen for obstructing a goalscoring chance and to compound Rovers' misery Gareth Barry strode up to slam home a confident penalty for his first goal since his opening-day penalty against Liverpool.

Rovers tried to respond and claimed a completely optimisic hand-ball against Bouma.

Moments later Bentley's shot was easily held by Carson. But Villa, to their credit, were always in control and played out the rest of the game with the minimum of fuss.

It could have been worse for the home side with 12 minutes remaining when Christopher Samba produced a one-handed push on Young which sent the Villa winger sprawling in the penalty area.

Young made them pay with a truly splendid third goal just three minutes later with a curling shot from a yard outside the penalty area after Olof Mellberg had sprinted towards goals and played in Agbonlahor down the right.

Agbonlahor's cut-back was excellent and with Blackburn stretched Young had time to pick his spot which he duly did with excellence.

Incredibly it was 4-0 when substitute Harewood scored his first league goal for Villa, and the 100th of his career, when he chested down and then rammed home a fine finish from close range after Barry had played Carew through on goal and his shot had been saved by Friedel.